Hand-bag



(No Model.)

J. MEHL, Jr

HAND BAG. No 384,377. Patented June 12, 1888.

N. PETERS, Phumdilhograplmv. Wnhingiom 11c.

UNITED STATES PATENT @EEibE.

JDHN MEHL, JR, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 384,377, dated June 12,1888..

Application filed March 23, 1858. Serial 110.268.1518. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MEHL, Jr., of Jew sey City, in the county ofHudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Hand-Bags, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to handbags the two hinged frame portions ofwhich abut together externally; and it consists in the combination,hereinafter described and claimed, in such a bag-frame of a handle andattached hook pivoted to one of said frame portions and a loop or bar onthe outside of the other of saidframe portions, with which the said hookengages to lock the bag when it is closed and the handle is in aposition for carrying it.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a bag embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of a portion of the bag uponthe plane indicated by the dotted line as :r, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sideview of a portion of a bag embodying a slight modification of myinvention; and Fig. 4 is a transverse section upon the plane of thedotted line 3/ y, Fig. 3. Figs. 2, 3, and I are drawn upon a largerscalethan Fig. 1, and similar letters of reference designate correspondingparts in all the figures.

A designates a bag, which may be of ordinary or suitable constructionand of leather or other material, and B B designate the two frameportions, which are hinged together at the ends, as usual, and in whichthe leather of the bag is secured, the said frame portions meeting sideby side and abutting together externally. As here represented, the frameportions B B are of tubular construction, as is usual in bags of thischaracter, and as best represented in Figs. 2 and 4. To the frameportionB is attached a handle, 0, which, as here represented, has itsends or end portions, 0, swung upon pivots c, which are supported uponthe frame portion B, so that the handle 0 may be swung into carryingposition, as shown by full lines in all the figures, or out of carryingposition, as shown by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 4. I have hererepresented the frame portions B B as secured together at about themiddle of their length to hold the bag closed by a fastening, and theform of fastening here represented for purposes of illustration consistssimply of the two spheres or balls d, which spring past each other whenthe bag is closed, and thus serve to hold the bag closed. The fasteningat this point, however, constitutes no part of my invention.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the loop or bar 6 isformed by aseparate piece secured external to the frame portion 13; butin the example shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the loop or bar 6 is formed on theexte rior of the frame portion B by slitting each longitudinally at eand then bending or deflecting outward the strip or tongue of metal thusformed, so as to give it sufficient projection from the frame portion Bto enable the hook e to pass under it. \Vhen the loop or bar e is formedseparately and attached to the frame portion B, it maybe offset inward,so as come in a plane substantially between the two frame portions B B,as shown in Fig. 2, and very nearly in position vertically below thepivotc, on which the handle swings, and then the hook e may be long, andprovision is afforded for the bag to swing laterally to a great degreeupon the handle 0 without the hooks e swinging clear of the members 0.

In all the examples of my invention, no matter What the construction ofthe two members 6 e of the lock which engage one with another, themember of the lock which is upon the ban' die is caused by the swingingof the handle upward into carrying position to engage the member of thelock which is upon the exterior of the frame portion B, and the memberon the handle is caused to disengage the memher which is upon the frameportion B by the swinging of the handle downward out of carryingposition, as shown by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 4.

Vhen the usual fastening, as (l, is employed to hold the frame portionstogether, it will be seen that my locks, which are provided between theends of the handle and the frame portion B, serve to additionally lockthe frame portions together upon each side of the usual fastening, (I,and the locks which I provide between the handle and theframe portion Bwill give what is really an ample security in bolding the frame portionstogether, even if a fastening, as d, between the ends of the handle isnot employed.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The combination, with the two hinged externally-abutting portions of abag-frame and the handle is swung to carrying position, suba handlepivoted to one ofsaid frame portions, I stantiaily as herein described.

of a lock between the handle and the other of said frame portions,consisting of ahook on the JOHN MEHL 5 handle and a loop or bar on theoutside of said Vitnesses:

other frame portion, with which loop or bar I G. HALL,

said hook engages when the bag is closed and l FREDK. HAYNES.

